Packers and Packagers, Hand: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)

Packers and Packagers, Hand fall under the Transportation and Material Moving category in the U.S. occupational classification. Packers and Packagers, Hand earn a median salary of $35,580 per year, ranking in the top 94% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects -5.4% job growth through 2034, projected to lose jobs through 2034. Entry into this field typically requires a high school diploma plus on-the-job training, certifications, or postsecondary credentials, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.

What do packers and packagers, hand earn?

The median annual wage for packers and packagers, hand is $35,580. That puts packers and packagers, hand at #765 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is around or below the U.S. median for individual workers, so career growth often depends on advancement into supervisory roles, specialization, or additional credentials. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.

Is packers and packagers, hand a growing career?

The 10-year outlook for packers and packagers, hand is -5.4%, projected to lose jobs through 2034. Employment is projected to move from approximately 591K positions in 2024 to 559K in 2034, a net change of -32K. A declining outlook does not mean the field is disappearing; it means automation, demographics, or substitution effects are shrinking the pool of openings. Students entering a declining field should plan for adjacent skills that transfer to growing roles.

What do packers and packagers, hand do every day?

According to O*NET task surveys of working packers and packagers, hand, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.

1. 1.Clean containers, materials, supplies, or work areas, using cleaning solutions and hand tools.
2. 2.Examine and inspect containers, materials, or products to ensure that product quality and packing specifications are met.
3. 3.Measure, weigh, and count products and materials.
4. 4.Record product, packaging, and order information on specified forms and records.
5. 5.Seal containers or materials, using glues, fasteners, nails, and hand tools.
6. 6.Assemble, line, and pad cartons, crates, and containers, using hand tools.
7. 7.Obtain, move, and sort products, materials, containers, and orders, using hand tools.
8. 8.Mark and label containers, container tags, or products, using marking tools.

Top skills for packers and packagers, hand

O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.

What education does my child need to become packers and packagers, hand?

Many packers and packagers, hand enter the field with a high school diploma plus on-the-job training, though employers increasingly favor candidates with certifications or some postsecondary coursework. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.

Related careers your child might also consider

• Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
  $226,600 median
• Air Traffic Controllers
  $144,580 median
• Commercial Pilots
  $122,670 median
• Ship Engineers
  $101,320 median
• Transportation Inspectors
  $85,750 median
• Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels
  $85,540 median

Common questions parents ask about packers and packagers, hand